Small Business Institute®

A program connecting local small businesses to the resources and management expertise of UCF’s College of Business Administration and the FSBDC at UCF.

SBI provides confidential and professional management assistance to small businesses through consulting projects performed by MBA students.

SBI Program Qualifications

The FSBDC at UCF is now accepting applications. Small businesses interested in the SBI program must meet the following criteria:

• $500K+ annual revenue
• 2 years operating experience
• Client company must be willing to meet with student team at least 6 times during the semester

Scope of Project Offerings

• Customer Management
  Customer Satisfaction Surveys
  Target Market Identification
  Customer Journey Mapping
  Customer Retention Strategies
• Feasibility Analysis
  New Product/Service Feasibility
  Market Entry Feasibility
  Target Market Identification
• Financial Management
  Financial Analysis
  Pricing Strategy Review
  Cost Reduction Strategies
• Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Strategy
  Social Media Strategy
  Local SEO Optimization (Google Maps, Yelp, etc.)
  E-Commerce Optimization
• Marketing Insights & Strategic Action Plan
  Market Insights
  Strategic Application
  Implementation Roadmap
• Expansion Strategies
  Market Potential Analysis
  Market Diversification Strategies
  New Customer Acquisition Strategies
• Human Resources & Organizational Development
  Employee Engagement & Retention Strategies
  Workforce Planning & Talent Strategy
  Performance Management & KPI Systems

Limited space is available – first-come, first-served.

SBI Application Fee

A nonrefundable administrative fee of $500 is due upon acceptance to the program.
Scholarships are available to businesses located in Orange County, FL.

Program Guidelines

In order for SBI clients to get the most from the program, they need to follow the following program guidelines:

• Being available to the student SBI team at the times the client company and student team mutually agreed upon. Depending on student work schedules it may be necessary to schedule meetings after hours or on the weekend.
• It is required that the student team meets with the client company at least 6 times during the semester.
• Maintain weekly communication, if needed, with the student SBI team.
• Making available to the student SBI team those records, files, and financial statements that the team and the client company agree are necessary to complete their project.
• Using the student SBI team in their proper capacity as “consultants” and not expecting the students to serve as interns or temporary help to do work that would normally be performed by regular employees.
• Signing a “Client Acknowledgment” of the final report at the completion of the project.
• Expecting some follow-up research and surveys to determine the quality and effectiveness of the SBI program.
• Please read the SBI Client Handbook

For more information please contact:

Jessica Ali
Jessica.Ali@ucf.edu
407.420.4868

Funded in part by Orange County Government